n. Sir, said the old man, of
whence be ye? Sir, said Sir Percivale, I am of King Arthur's court,
and a knight of the Table Round, the which am in the quest of the
Sangreal; and here am I in great duresse, and never like to escape out
of this wilderness. Doubt not, said the good man, an ye be so true a
knight as the order of chivalry requireth, and of heart as ye ought to
be, ye should not doubt that none enemy should slay you. What are ye?
said Sir Percivale. Sir, said the old man, I am of a strange country,
and hither I come to comfort you. Sir, said Sir Percivale, what
signifieth my dream that I dreamed this night? And there he told him
altogether: She which rode upon the lion betokeneth the new law of
holy church, that is to understand, faith, good hope, belief, and
baptism. For she seemed younger than the other it is great reason, for
she was born in the resurrection and the passion of our Lord Jesu
Christ. And for great love she came to thee to warn thee of thy great
battle that shall befall thee. With whom, said Sir Percivale, shall I
fight? With the most champion of the world, said the old man; for as
the lady said, but if thou quit thee well thou shalt not be quit by
losing of one member, but thou shalt be shamed to the world's end. And
she that rode on the serpent signifieth the old law, and that serpent
betokeneth a fiend. And why she blamed thee that thou slewest her
servant, it betokeneth nothing; the serpent that thou slewest
betokeneth the devil that thou rodest upon to the rock. And when thou
madest a sign of the cross, there thou slewest him, and put away his
power. And when she asked thee amends and to become her man, and thou
saidst thou wouldst not, that was to make thee to believe on her and
leave thy baptism. So he commanded Sir Percivale to depart, and so he
leapt over the board and the ship, and all went away he wist not
whither. Then he went up unto the rock and found the lion which always
kept him fellowship, and he stroked him upon the back and had great
joy of him.

CHAPTER VIII

HOW SIR PERCIVALE SAW A SHIP COMING TO HIM-WARD, AND HOW THE LADY OF
THE SHIP TOLD HIM OF HER DISHERITANCE

By that Sir Percivale had abiden there till mid-day he saw a ship came
rowing in the sea as all the wind of the world had driven it. And so
it drove under that rock. And when Sir Percivale saw this he hied him
thither, and found the ship covered with silk more blacker than any
bear, and therein was a